Lisa MacLeod is a young female politician who commutes to her job at Queen’s Park from Ottawa and leaves her husband, Joe, and four-year-old daughter, Victoria, at home. Mr. Justice Douglas Cunningham of Ontario Superior Court said this is a big distraction for the 34-year-old woman and as a result he felt he could not accept her evidence as corroboration of the Crown’s key witness in the recent high-profile, influence-peddling trial of Ottawa Mayor Larry O’Brien.
Judge Cunningham is 69; he was appointed to the bench in 1991.
His comments, delivered last week in his ruling dismissing the charges against Mr. O’Brien, are now drawing criticism from political strategists and activists who are shaking their heads, wondering when women will be treated as equals in politics.
“It is unfortunate that any woman in Ms. MacLeod’s situation may be regarded as less reliable because of the demands placed on her life as a politician,” said Nancy Peckford, national director of Equal Voice, an organization promoting women in public office. “Would the same approach have been taken with a male politician who is commuting and has a young family at home? Probably not.”
On Monday, Ms. MacLeod, the Conservative MPP for Nepean-Carleton, called the judge’s reference “pathetic” and “surreal.”
“I didn’t know truth had a gender or a family,” she said.
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The other discrimination popping up here is that the Judge is too old. It has nothing to do with age, he’s just an idiot.
a complete idiot
Gee maybe not allowing corroboration of the Crowns key witnesses testimony might have given the judge the leeway to allow Mr. Obrien to walk free. Perhaps not stupid – just dirty.
The judge is either an idiot or he’s has some other reason.
One is left to “sit and scratch one’s head” at the judge’s statement. Firing is in order. I had to read twice as disbelief descended.